Thinking Ahead
At USC Dornsife, “What if?” becomes what’s next.
Our researchers take the lead in fields that are just beginning to reveal tremendous promise. By investing in emerging areas of scholarship — from quantum computing to climate change communication to the frameworks for developing ethical A.I. — new possibilities become more than aspirations; they unfold in real-time, right here.

Why Forests Aren’t Coming Back After Gold Mining in the Amazon
While gold mining’s environmental toll is well known, a team led by USC Dornsife researchers has uncovered a hidden culprit behind the Amazon rainforest’s slow recovery: water loss caused by reshaped terrain.
USC Dornsife Study Reveals How Protein Droplets Help Cells Master Difficult DNA Repair
Research uncovers a mechanism that protects the genome by avoiding catastrophic errors when repairing breaks in tightly packed DNA, a finding with implications for cancer and aging.

USC Launches $12 Million Institute on Ethics & Trust in Computing
The institute, supported by funds from the Lord Foundation of California, is the next step in the university’s effort to enhance research and education under the Frontiers of Computing “moonshot.”

Curiosity at Work
Stand Out, Together
At USC Dornsife you’ll study the things you love the most. You’ll explore ideas that you’ve never thought about before. You’ll learn how to make sense of the world from all different angles. And, as part of our community, you will help to define a dynamic academic environment focused on improving lives and the world around us.
Meet the Students
USC Dornsife students demonstrate an impressive combination of academic excellence, accomplishment, creativity, and hard work. Each and every student is hand-selected because they bring something special and unique to our community.
A Brighter Future
Isabella Pangilinan Environmental Studies majorUSC Dornsife student Isabella Pangilinan is passionate about finding solutions to some of our world’s most pressing challenges. The multidisciplinary courses offered through her major are preparing her for a career in environmental law.
The Power of “And”
Joshua Senior Biological Sciences major, East Asian Languages and Cultures minorUSC Dornsife student Joshua Senior is studying to become a neurosurgeon. He explains how his liberal arts education at USC Dornsife prepares him for his career goals – and for life.
A Trojan Family Like No Other
Victoria Quon-Chow Human Biology major, Nutrition and Health Promotion minorAs a student at USC Dornsife, Victoria Quon-Chow is bouyed by the support of the Trojan Family as she prepares to become a doctor.
Unprecedented Access to Academic Expertise
Public Exchange fast-tracks collaboration between academic researchers and the public and private sectors to define, analyze, and solve complex problems that organizations face. Through our first-of-kind model, we amplify social impact by making academic expertise more easily accessible than ever before.

Stand Out With Purpose
Aimed at identifying and nurturing scientific talent, the scholarships support students focused on developmental biology and pediatric neurology.
